Device for setting and furling sails

A device for setting and furling a light sail of a sailing boat having a mast, the device comprising

• (a) an elongated longitudinally collapsible sleeve of a thin textile sheet material, the sleeve having two ends,
• (1) one of the sleeve ends being connectable to an upper portion of the mast,
• (b) a substantially rigid, funnel-shaped member having an inner end in coaxial alignment with the sleeve and an outwardly flaring outer end,
• (1) the funnel-shaped member having at least a portion extending from the outer end towards the inner end which defines an entirely smooth and even sliding and gliding surface for the sail when furled into the sleeve through the outwardly flaring outer end, the surface of the funnel-shaped member portion being generated by a spherical curve and the inner end lying on a circle generated by an innermost point of said curve whereby none of the funnel-shaped member extends radially inwardly beyond the circle,
• (c) means for attaching the inner end of the funnel-shaped member to the other end of the sleeve, said attaching means comprising
• (1) an inwardly flaring funnel-shaped part substantially coaxial with the sleeve and the funnel-shaped member,
• (2) respective mating flanges extending radially outwardly from the inner end of the funnels-shaped member and the funnel-shaped part, the flanges defining an inwardly facing V-groove,
• (3) fastening elements joining the flanges to connect the funnel-shaped member to the funnel-shaped part, and
• (4) a ring seated in the V-groove, the other end of the sleeve being folded over the ring and attached to an adjacent portion of the sleeve, and
• (d) means for moving the funnel-shaped member and the attached sleeve over the sail.

A device for setting and furling a light sail of a sailing boat having a mast, the device comprising

• (a) an elongated longitudinally collapsible sleeve of a thin textile sheet material, the sleeve having two ends,
• (b) an attachment means connecting one of the sleeve ends to the upper mast portion, the attachment means comprising
• (1) a cup-shaped part coaxial with the one sleeve end and extending thereinto,
• (2) a plate mounted on the cup-shaped part, the cup-shaped part and the plate defining a circumferential groove therebetween,
• (3) a threaded retainer threadedly engaging a threaded sleeve centrally clamping the plate to the cup-shaped part, and
• (4) a ring seated in the groove, the one sleeve end being folded over the ring and attached to an adjacent portion of the sleeve,
• (c) a substantially rigid, funnel-shaped member having an inner end in coaxial alignment with the sleeve and an outwardly flaring outer end,
• (1) the funnel-shaped member having at least a portion extending from the outer end towards the inner end which defines an entirely smooth and even sliding and gliding surface for the sail when furled into the sleeve through the outwardly flaring outer end, the surface of the funnel-shaped member portion being generated by a spherical curve and the inner end lying on a circle generated by an innermost point of said curve whereby none of the funnel-shaped member extends radially inwardly beyond the circle,
• (d) means for attaching the inner end of the funnel-shaped member to the other end of the sleeve, and
• (e) means for moving the funnel-shaped member and the attached sleeve over the sail.

A device of setting and furling a light sail of a sailing boat having a mast, the device comprising

• (a) an elongated longitudinally collapsible sleeve of a thin textile sheet material, the sleeve having two ends,
• (1) one of the sleeve ends being connectible to an upper portion of the mast,
• (b) a substantially rigid, funnel-shaped member having an inner end in coaxial alignment with the sleeve and an outwardly flaring outer end.
• (1) the funnel-shaped member having a portion extending from the outer to the inner end thereof and defining an entirely smooth and even sliding and gliding surface substantially a quarter of a circle for the sail when furled into the sleeve through the outwardly flaring outer end, the surface of the funnel-shaped member portion being generated by a spherical curve and the inner end lying on a circle generated by an innermost point of said curve whereby none of the funnel-shaped member extends radially inwardly beyond the circle,
• (c) means for attaching the inner end of the funnel-shaped member to the other end of the sleeve, said attaching means comprising
• (1) another identical funnel-shaped member, each of the funnel-shaped members comprising a substantially semi-circular cylindrical flange extending about the inner end and defining a substantially semi-circular groove therein, the two funnel-shaped members being assembled coaxially and symmetrically with respect to a median plane extending between the circular inner ends of the members and the cylindrical flanges of the funnel-shaped members being symmetrically arranged with respect to a vertical plane passing through the axis of the funnel-shaped members, a respective one of the cylindrical flanges matingly extending into a respective one of the grooves, and the length of the cylindrical flanges being such that an annular space remains between the circular inner ends of the members, fastening elements holding the flanges in the grooves and thus forming the two funnel-shaped members into a detachable unit, and a fastening ring frictionally wedged into the annular space, the other end of the sleeve being attached to the ring, and
• (d) means for moving the funnel-shaped members and the attached sleeve over the sail.